The cryptocurrency market has established itself in a few years as a new investment universe in its own right. Driven by innovation and growing enthusiasm, it now attracts millions of investors, sometimes beginners, often seeking performance. But this rapid growth also comes with excesses: scams, projects lacking transparency, promises of unreal gains… In a still young and evolving environment, the risk of error, even fraud, remains very real.
In this context, regulating practices and protecting crypto investors becomes essential. Without a clear framework, it is difficult to build a sustainable and credible ecosystem. This is precisely where players like the Association for the Development of Digital Assets (ADAN) intervene, helping to structure the market and promote good practices. Because for cryptos to establish themselves in the financial landscape over the long term, trust must be at the heart of the system.
Association for the Development of Digital Assets: What is ADAN?
When the Association for the Development of Digital Assets was created in 2020, it was by about ten major players in the French crypto sector, with the objective of structuring a market still very young. Among the founding members, we find notably well-known ecosystem companies such as Ledger, Coinhouse, Kaiko or Woorton. These companies share the trait of being already well established and active in the digital asset industry, which gives the association legitimacy from its inception.
The initiative was also supported by engaged sector figures, such as Alexandre Stachtchenko, who helped structure the regulatory environment in France around cryptocurrencies.
This point is important to understand: ADAN is not a “theoretical” structure, but a grassroots organization born from the field, created by actors directly concerned with the market’s issues. This is also what explains its weight today in discussions with regulators and public authorities.
In terms of governance, the Association for the Development of Digital Assets operates as a structured professional association, run directly by its members. Its organization rests on a Board of Directors composed of about a dozen directors, elected to define the major orientations and supervise the management of the association. At its head, there is a president, currently Stanislas Barthelemi, surrounded by vice-presidents and a secretary, who ensure operational leadership. ADAN also relies on a dedicated team (management, public affairs, communications, studies) that implements projects on a daily basis. An interesting feature: every active member has a voice, making it a fairly democratic structure in its functioning.
Beyond its governance, ADAN has set itself a clear mission: to structure and grow the crypto ecosystem in France and Europe. Concretely, this involves several axes: promoting the adoption of digital assets, promoting a regulatory framework suited to innovation, improving the understanding of blockchain technologies and valorizing the sector players. The idea is not merely to defend an industry, but to create a healthier, more legible, and more accessible environment, for both businesses and individual investors.
Finally, ADAN brings together a wide range of players today, which also strengthens its strength and legitimacy.
Among ADAN members, you can notably find:
- Bitpanda
- Bitstack
- Groupe BPCE
- Bpifrance
- Bybit
- Coinhouse
- Circle
- Coinbase
- Crédit Mutuel Arkéa
- Crypto.com
- Deblock
- KPMG
- … and many other Web3 players, ranging from innovative startups to large financial institutions.
This diversity clearly shows that ADAN is not a standalone actor, but a true convergence point for the entire crypto ecosystem.
It is however important to note that ADAN is not a regulator and does not replace institutions like the AMF or the ACPR, which remain the sole competent authorities for investor protection.
What is ADAN’s role?
The role of the Association for the Development of Digital Assets is not limited to representing sector players: it is part of a broader approach aimed at structuring a market that is still young and sometimes difficult for investors to grasp. In a universe where innovation moves very quickly, ADAN acts as a reference point, both for professionals and for the general public.
Concretely, its missions revolve around several key axes:
- Represent the crypto ecosystem with public authorities and regulators
- Contribute to the development of a clear and adapted regulatory framework
- Promote best practices among sector professionals
- Support the development of innovation related to digital assets
- Inform and raise awareness among the general public about the issues and risks of crypto
- Publish studies and analyses to better understand the market
Ultimately, ADAN’s objective is fairly simple to understand: to create a more legible and safer environment, where investors can operate with greater confidence, while allowing the sector to continue to develop in a responsible manner.
How to use ADAN as a crypto investor?
As a crypto investor, the Association for the Development of Digital Assets (ADAN) will not tell you what to buy or sell (that is not its role), but it can clearly serve as a compass in a sometimes messy universe.
Concretely, you can use its publications to better understand the market, its risks and regulatory evolutions. It is also a good way to take a step back from the sometimes exaggerated promises circulating in the ecosystem.
ADAN also helps identify serious players, committed to a framed approach, which can be a useful first filter before investing. Finally, its studies and positions help to better grasp the major trends of the sector.
In short, it is not a proper investment tool, but a real support to invest more informedly and more prudently.
ADAN studies and work on crypto investors in 2026
Like bodies such as the ACPR or the AMF, the Association for the Development of Digital Assets (ADAN) also plays a key role in producing studies and analyses on the cryptocurrency market.
On the ADAN website, you can find numerous publications accessible to the public: reports, positions, sector analyses, etc.
Among the most followed is notably the annual barometer of crypto-asset adoption, carried out in partnership with Ipsos, which allows taking the market’s pulse.
These works are particularly useful to understand how investor behaviors evolve, the level of public knowledge, or the major trends of the sector. In practice, it is a gold mine of information for any investor who wants to take a step back and avoid investing solely “on instinct.”
| Type of study | Key figures | What to remember |
| 2026 Barometer of crypto-asset adoption | – 93% of French people know at least one crypto-asset – 11% hold cryptos – 32% plan to buy |
The market has become mainstream, but adoption remains limited. Growth potential is significant, but relies on trust and education. |
| Study on the profile of crypto investors | – Average age: 39 – 70% men – 50% have a higher education |
The typical crypto investor is younger and more educated than average, with an increasingly structured approach. |
| Analysis of the place of cryptos in wealth | – 14% of savings allocated to cryptos on average – 80% of portfolios < €5,000 |
Cryptos are used as a diversification asset, not as a primary investment. |
| Study on uses (DeFi, stablecoins, tokenization) | – Strong progression of stablecoins – Development of concrete financial uses |
The market is evolving toward real-world uses beyond mere speculation. |
All of our information is, by nature, generic. It does not take into account your personal situation and does not constitute tailored recommendations for the execution of transactions and cannot be equated to financial investment advice, nor to any incentive to buy or sell financial instruments. The reader is solely responsible for the use of the information provided, with no recourse against the publisher Cafedelabourse.com. The publisher’s liability cannot be engaged in the event of an error, omission, or inappropriate investment.
